Child abduction is a major problem in this country and throughout the world, with the number of children abducted increasing from year to year. While the number of abducted children has increased so too has the brazenness of the abductors. In this regard, there has been far too many highly publicized kidnappings of newborn infants from closely monitored hospital maternity wards. Such infants have become attractive targets for kidnappers due to the high price paid in black market transactions for newborn infants and the absence of any risk of identification by the kidnapping victim.
The present invention provides hospital maternity wards with the maximum practical degree of security while avoiding the police state environment which would be created by posting uniformed security guards at every maternity ward exit. Rather than creating a police state environment, the present invention provides a passive security system requiring no human intervention except when it is turned on, turned off, or when an alarm is detected. At the same time, the system provides the hospital maternity ward with multiple levels of security thereby dramatically reducing the likelihood of an infant being successfully kidnapped from the hospital.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, infants in a hospital maternity ward are supplied with a very small radio frequency (RF) transmitter capable of transmitting a plurality of coded signals. A corresponding remote RF receiver tuned to receive the transmitted coded signals is associated with each transmitter. The main functions of the RF transmitter and receiver are to insure that (1) the RF transmitter remains attached to the infant and (2) the infant and the attached RF transmitter remain in the proximity of the corresponding receiver.
Each of the transmitters in the system includes a magnetic strip which generates a low frequency electromagnetic field when activated. The exit points of the hospital maternity ward (such as doors, elevators, stairways, etc.) are provided with a magnetic receiver which detects an activated magnetic strip passing through that exit point. Upon detecting the alternating electromagnetic field generated by the magnetic strip an associated audible alarm is sounded.
At the heart of the infant security system is the transmitting device which generates at least two uniquely coded signals and which is preferably snugly disposed around the leg or ankle of each of the infants. The associated receiver is placed, for example, on the cart containing the infant's crib or bassinet which will typically be close enough to the infant so that it is well enough within the range of the transmitter.
Every few seconds the RF transmitter will transmit, for example, a coded RF pulse. If an infant with an attached RF transmitter is removed by some predetermined minimum distance from its associated RF receiver, then the RF receiver will not receive the transmitted coded signal which will trigger an alarm. If the infant is placed in a metal container thereby preventing the transmitted signal from being received by the RF receiver, an alarm is likewise triggered.
If a kidnapper attempts to detach the RF transmitter from the infant, a switch is opened (or closed) which in turn causes the RF transmitter to emit a second coded signal. Upon detection of the second coded signal, an alarm in the RF receiver is triggered. In order to legitimately remove the infant from the maternity ward area, the magnetic strip associated with the transmitting device must be deactivated and the RF receiver deactivated with, for example, a security key.
While being primarily directed to a hospital-based infant security system, the present invention likewise contemplates that the security system may be used to secure a wide range of other valuable objects. For example, the system may be used to prevent a valuable art object from being improperly removed or stolen from its assigned room. Likewise, the present invention may be utilized to prevent a dangerous chemical from being improperly removed from its storage area. Alternatively, the security system of the present invention may be utilized to prevent an individual from leaving a designated area in any workplace, hospital, or institutional setting.